The Ladybug
by Ryojin
Summary: 3 years has passed since Hawkmoth was caught and turned out to be Gabirel Agreste when an Adrien who hasn't been seen since walks into a bar that Marinette is working at. Will she be able to get him to open up or will he make more shocking discoveries that send him further down the bottle.
1. Chapter 1

**Marinette's POV**

It had been 3 years since we had defeated Hawkmoth and I still remember the look on Chat Noir's face when he saw that it was Gabriel Agreste. The pain and shock was heartbreaking. At the time it didn't make sense, but when Chat Noir and Adrien disappeared from Paris without a trace I grew suspicious and then I went to talk to Master Fu and he told me that when Chat Noir handed in Hawkmoth's Miraculous he had given back his own too. I knew then that Chat had been Adrien. Master Fu gave me Adrien's ring to look after in case he wanted to come back but he never did.

It didn't bother me to have the ring since I had moved out into my own apartment after school Tikki and Plagg had free reign which made them feel better. Although Plagg would never admit it I knew he missed Adrien.

A year later I had received a letter from Master Fu telling me to go to his house. I went to his house later that day and it was empty and cleared out except for a large black box similar to the one that held my Miraculous. On top of it was a note with my name on it. I opened it up and read it. He left me all of the Miraculous. The letter detailed that I was the new guardian and that I had to watch over them and choose new heroes should there be a need. He didn't say anything about what happened to him or where he went. I was worried at first, but my life really didn't change much besides all the new kwami flying around my apartment causing havoc. I only kept Tikki with me at all times while the others were hidden when I was at work.

I was an intern at a fairly popular agency helping with designing clothes, but the problem was being an intern meant no pay. With that many kwami living at my apartment you could only imagine the grocery bill. I had to look for a job I could work at night and weekends to make enough money to pay rent. I had been looking for a little while when I found this bar near my apartment called The Ladybug, named after me of course. I felt that it was as good of a place to work as any so I have been working there as a bartender for six months now when a certain disheveled blonde walk in.

He did not look in good shape. His clothes were worn and faded. His hair was greasy and went down to his shoulders. He had a 5 o'clock shadow going too. I wouldn't have recognized him if he didn't take off the sunglasses so I could see the familiar green eyes.

I couldn't help myself. "Look what the cat dragged in."

 **Adrien's POV**

In the three years since it was revealed that my father was Hawkmoth I haven't really done anything with my life. I already had enough credits to graduate high school but I left before school was over. I had pretty much spent the time since using up my family money going from hotel to hotel drinking away my problems. I had turned in my ring because I was no longer the hero I wanted to be. It had dawned on my instantly that the reason everyone in my class was akumitized was because of me. My father had been targeting people around me. I thought it might have been because I was Chat but I don't think he ever found that out.

A year ago when I was in Paris I went to see Master Fu but his place had been turned into a flower shop and he was nowhere to be found. I wanted to see how Plagg was doing but he was probably across the world about now. There had also been no Ladybug sightings since Hawkmoth was captured. It made me feel alone. There was no one I could talk to left. Nino hadn't even said anything to me when he found out about my father. I can't blame him. After all the times he and Alya were in the middle of danger because of him, because of me.

I guess this feeling of being alone was the reason why I had decided to walk into this particular bar tonight to drown myself in alcohol and try to forget the pain. A place called The Ladybug had to make me feel a little better. I walked through the door and up to the bar and saw a girl with pigtails which I didn't think anything of since it was probably a requirement to have pigtails while working at The Ladybug.

"Look what the cat dragged in."

Was that a pun? Wait nobody knows I am Chat Noir. I looked up and saw that the bartender was Marinette. My old high school class mate. Why was she smiling at me though? She should hate me.

"Is that you Marinette?"

"It's been awhile hasn't it, Adrien?" I didn't realize how nice it would be talking to an old friend.

"What have you been up to? It's been three years since I have seen you." I really did not want to talk to myself.

"Right now I am intern for fashion design but I have to pay bills so I work here too."

"Congratulations! I am glad you could get to your goals. I always thought you would be a good designer. I bet one day you will have your own line and interns trying to work for you." She was good. I remember all the stuff she made at school. The dresses for dances. That hat for the contest. I even found her signature on the scarf that I thought my father had got me. I almost threw it away until I saw that.

"Thanks I hope so but I as long as I can make clothes I will be happy."

"That's a good outlook. How is Nino and Alya? I haven't seen them in a while."

"Alya is an investigative journalist for a news company and Nino works for a music company and does some DJ work on the weekends. They are living in an apartment not that far from the high school together." I am glad everything worked out for them too. I had hoped my families mistakes hadn't screwed them up too much, but I was always too scared to check. "You know, we all miss you."

"Yeah." She had that sad look on her face. She was always really nice. I knew Marinette wouldn't blame me, but that face made it seem like she's been worrying about me this whole time. I didn't know there could be a reaction that would feel worse than being hated.

"Do you still play video games?" That shocked me. She had a smile back and was talking to me like the old days. Like nothing had happened.

"A little."

"Well I haven't had time to play since high school. Maybe that means you might have a chance. That is if… you want to come over. I have to finish working, but it would be fun to hang out again."

"Sure." Why did I agree? Was it because she didn't treat me like a victim or a bad guy. She treated me as an old friend and I had really missed that.

"Good!" She smiled at me and it was mesmerizing. Was she always this cute? We spent the next hour and a half at the bar reminiscing about school. The gum incident, the umbrella, and more. She avoided talking about akuma incidents and she never asked anything about where I have been since I left. It made me happy because I was not ready to talk about any of that yet.

We went back to her apartment and over course she brushed off the dust to her copy of Ultimate Mecha Strike III. "Let's see if you are any better than before."

"Shouldn't be hard to beat an old rusty greenhorn like you."

"You mean the old rusty greenhorn that has never lost against you? What does that make you?"

This was better than high school. We were friends but we never got to banter like this together then. This nostalgia felt nice and I spent most of the night laughing and having more fun than I have had in a long time. Unlike before I won a few matches at the beginning, but then Marinette became unrusty and that was the end of my good luck.

* * *

I didn't remember leaving or going to bed. The last thing I remember was playing video games with Marinette. So when I woke up in a room I didn't recognize I didn't think much of it since I had spent so much time in a hotel. Then I saw a Jagged Stone poster on the wall. A bra was on the ground and I was on one half a queen sized bed. The other half was empty, but had definitely been slept in.

 _Gulp._

For the killing blow I looked down. I wasn't wearing any clothes. It all came back to me. The bar. Marinette. The video games. Marinette. Drinking a little too much wine. And Marinette.

"What have I done?"

* * *

Little did he know there was a small black kwami watching from a closet with an expression that was half amusement and half anger.

"You finally achieved your childhood dream you jackass. And you don't even know it."


	2. Chapter 2

**I changed this story back to a T rating. It may be changed back to M later but besides some swearing I didn't think it was that bad yet. I hope you enjoy the second chapter of this story. I am hoping to make this a fairly long series.**

Marinette's POV

I woke up with a large headache. I was trying to remember what happened last night when I felt warm breath on my back. Adrien. I turned over to check and we were face to face. I jumped out of bed extremely fast to find all of my clothes on the ground… and not on me. I threw on some clothes and ran out of the room.

Tikki was eating cookies in the kitchen and Plagg was next to her and they looked at me as I bolted out of my bedroom. I froze. "Good morning Marinette. Did you sleep well?" I don't know if I had seen a more merciless smile mixed with sarcasm ever on the little bug. Plagg was just quiet. That was spooky.

"Yeah, well I didn't mean for this to happen! I just wanted to reconnect and make sure he didn't disappear again! I didn't mean for it to end like this!"

"What are you going to do now? The other kwami are in their boxes but are me and Plagg supposed to hide while Adrien is here? How long will he be here?"

"Slow down Tikki! I can't think this fast and I am way too hung over. Plagg, just hide for today. Tikki you will be with me and now I need to make breakfast and get to work."

I made some eggs sausage and left some extra with a note for Adrien to have some and left. On my way to work my mind kept racing. I had seen Adrien for the first time in three years. The first time since I found out he was Chat. The first time since his father went to jail. And I got him drunk and we fucked and I can't even remember it.

I did the only thing that high school me could think of. I called Alya. "Alya! Something happened! I did something bad and I don't know what to do!"

"Calm down girl it probably wasn't that bad. You won't get fired. No one will hate you. Just relax whatever you did won't be that bad."

"I got drunk last night and slept with Adrien… Alya….. Alya… you there?"

"WHAT! YOU DID WHAT?"

"He came into the bar last night and we started talking and then he came over to catch up and play video games then the rest is a blank and when I woke up he was in the bed….next to me… naked."

"Damn girl! Took you long enough! That's crazy though. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know I just left a note for him because he was still sleeping and now I am on my way to work. I just have to figure it out before I get home."

"I am free today. I could go over and see him. You aren't the only one that missed him."

"Yeah, I know, but I am the only person that has seen him in this long. I just hope he isn't freaked out and bolts before I get back."

"I guess. Let me know if me or Nino can help. Who knows what shit that kid has had to deal with?"

"I will call you later today to let you know what happened but now I need to go to work."

"Bye."

What am I going to do? Do I like him again? I don't think I want to start a relationship but I do want to help him and be a friend. This was definitely not the way to do it but that was all another question for later. Now I had to go work today and try not to space out.

Adrien's POV

I got out of the bed and put my clothes on. I had barely talked to anyone in three years and I run into sweet Marinette and I get drunk and sleep with her. Maybe I am a terrible person too.

I walked around the apartment and couldn't find her. I went to the kitchen and found a plate with eggs and sausage that were still warm sitting on the table with a not next to it.

 _Adrien,_

 _I left you some breakfast to eat. I had to go to work this morning and I will be back by 6pm. If you leave I will have to hunt you down and kill you. (Unless there is somewhere you actually need to be.)_

 _Marinette._

 _P.S. Yes, I am pretty sure we did sleep together. I don't really remember though._

I was on the ground laughing so hard. Sweet Marinette had grown up but still knew how to make me laugh. "Well I guess I am stuck here." To no one in particular.

I was playing video games when Marinette returned. I heard the lock on the door disengage and it opened really slowly. She peaked her head in and looked around the room until they stopped on my eyes. She turned bright red. "What? You can't tell me to stay here and then get embarrassed when I do."

"I guess that's true." She seemed to relax a little and came inside.

"So now what?"

"Well when I invited you over I did not plan on sleeping with you if that was the question."

"Yeah. That surprised me a little when I woke up. I don't really remember either but thinking that sweet Marinette who sat behind me in class and could barely speak got drunk and had a one night stand was amusing."

"It doesn't normally happen! Don't go around thinking I am some… Floozy." It took us a good five minutes to recover that laughing fit.

"I can tell. No one who uses the word floozy would be a floozy." I was glad things were back to normal.

She sat down and joined me in some Mario Kart. Again she destroyed me. "'So what now?' that's what you said right?"

"Uhh… yeah. Like what happens next?"

"What do you want to happen next?"

"Well let's see would could always just sleep together again." My mouth hit the floor as I looked at her. She couldn't keep in the laughter.

"Got you! We won't be doing that again anytime soon."

"Aw. You go and get my hopes up and knock me back down. Guess I will have to go back to my hotel room and sulk." She stopped laughing at our bantering and cocked her eyebrow at me.

"Hotel? Nope you won't be going back there. I have a spare bedroom you can sleep in."

"Wait. You don't need to do that. I don't want to cause you more trouble than I have." Everything in school was my fault. What happened to her with the Evillustrator, the gaming tournament, and everything with her uncle was my fault.

"More trouble than you have? I agree. You need to make up all the trouble you have caused me. I have spent 3 years worrying about how you were doing so now you need to stay here so I don't have to worry anymore."

"What?"

"I am going to start making dinner. I hope you like Chinese food. You have until dinner is ready to go to your hotel and pick up your stuff and come back. If you are late for dinner you will be sorry."

"Oh what will you do ground me?" She was amazing. She could sit here like this and force me to move in with her on a whim. I had to try to keep up with her.

"I thought missing out on my cooking would be punishment enough?" Nope. I was not going to keep up with her.

Marinette's POV

After Adrien left I fell into a heap on the floor. The high school me was coming back. I had sex with Adrien. I just asked Adrien to move in with me. I am dying of embarrassment and happiness.

"You know it's customary to ask your roommates if it's ok to have another roommate." The black kwami glared at the heap on the floor that was now me.

"I'm sorry, but he's been alone for 3 years dealing with this. I know you are mad at him for abandoning you like that. You also need to remember that you had me and Tikki to help. He had no one." He scoffed at me. Which was a good sign for the annoying little cheese monger. "Also after he comes around to feeling better I will tell him everything and he could take you back."

"Why would I want to go back to that asshole?"

"Language!"

"You are a lot worse you know."

"Still. If he learns everything and doesn't want you back then that is that. If he does though you may want to think about what you want to do about it."

I went back to getting food ready for when Adrien comes back.

Adrien's POV

I got to the hotel and started packing up my things to go back to Marinette's. I finished pretty quickly since I didn't really have anything sentimental. I sat down on the bed to really think this through. Was I really going to move in with Marinette? I know she joked about me not being a burden but if I move in I will be. She said she had been worrying about me which put butterflies into my stomach. I never thought that anybody would have been worried.

What do I do?! If I move in with her I feel like it would be completely selfish. I don't want to be taken care of. I don't know what I want to do. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I never thought I would call again.

"Hello, this is Nino….. Is anyone there?"

"Hey it's me."

"Adrien!?"

"Yeah it's been awhile. I know you probably don't want to speak to me but…"

"Why wouldn't I? I've been worried sick!" Him too. Why do they all still care about me.

"I need some advice. I really don't know what to do and you were the only person I could call."

"Anything you need just ask." I told him everything that had happened since running into her at the bar to her inviting me to move in.

"So what should I do? I don't want to be a burden to her."

"Dude, if she wants you to move in and you want to then go ahead. You too will make a cute couple after you get over the awkwardness of your reunion."

"You always know how to make fun of me."

"So are you going to do it?"

"Yeah I think it's time I stopped running away and sulking."

"I understand. And if you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask. Plus if you are living with Marinette maybe all four of us can hang out soon."

"Yeah thanks. Well I got to go. I don't want to be late for dinner. Marinette said I wouldn't get any of her Chinese food if I take too long."

"Marinette's Chinese food?! What are you waiting for? That girl is the best cook ever. I am over here stuck with a women who screws up ordering pizza… Shit, she heard me. I have to go time for some unbearable torture, then after I finish eating the dinner she cooked me she is going to be really mad."

"Alright see you." It was nice being back. I didn't realize how much I missed my friends. How much I missed laughing with them. I also didn't even think about how much they missed me. Maybe it was time to stop running.

I picked up my bags and left the hotel back to Marinette's apartment.


End file.
